Furnace



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. I. H. RICHARDS.

FURNACE.

No, 535,412. Patented Mar. l2. 1895..

Wz'mewes. [72 V677Z02" '(No Model.) F. H. RICHARDS. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FURNACE. No. 535,412. Patented Mgr. 1.2; 1895.

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FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ECKLEY B.COXE, OF DRIFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,412, dated March12, 1895.

Application filed October 23, 1894:. Serial No. 526,696. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFurnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of furnacesadapted for burning thelower grades and smaller sizes of fuel, in accordance with the processdescribed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 499,715, granted toEckley B. CoXe June 20, 1893, or to that class of furnaces in which afuel-traveling grate or furnace-fioor is employed for carrying the fuelforward in the furnace-chamber, and in which means are employed forsupplying air to the fuel, during the traveling movement thereof, atvarying pressures at successive points in the length of thefurnace-floor or grate.

The objects of my present invention are, primarily, to provide, inconnection with a furnace of the class above specified, a fuel-travclingfurnace-floor or grate of improved con- 2 5 struction and organizationadapted for carrying the fuel forward in the furnace-chamber; also toprovide in connection with the furnacefloor, improved means forsupplying air to the fuel, carried upon the said furnace-floor, at

0 varying pressures at successive points in the length thereof; and alsoto provide means in connection with said furnace-floor for reducing thenormally high temperature of said furnace-floor without injuriouslyaffecting the 5 combustion of the fuel.

Another object of my present invention is to provide means in connectionwith the fueltraveling furnace-floor for preventing the fuel fromworking sidewise, or transversely of the 0 floor, over and around theside edges thereof, and to so construct and organize the severalcomponent parts of the furnace-floor that said furnace-floor will bepractically self-cleaning.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a sectional side-elevation of a traveling grate furnaceembodying my present improvements. Fig.2 is a sectional plan view of thesame, parts being broken away to more clearly show certain of thedetails thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the lowerportion of the furnace, taken in line 0.ct, Fig. 1, looking toward theright handin said figure. Fig.

4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but on a relatively largescale, of a portion of one side of the furnace, showing a portion of thegrate-mechanism, and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are plan, side and end views,respectively, of one of the series of grate-bars which comprise the f urnace-floor.

Similar characters designate like parts in all of the figures of thedrawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the application and mode of operation ofmy present improvements, I have shown the same applied to a furnacewhich is, in ageneral way, similar to the furnace described in LettersPatent of the United States No. 499,716, granted to Eckley B. Coxe June20, 1893, but it will be understood that my improvements are applicableto other forms of furnaces than that shown and described in said patent.

As in the patent just referred to, the furnace-chamber, designated by C,is inclosed at the sides and ends thereof by the usual sidewalls, 2 and4, the froht end-wall, 3, and the rear-wall or bridge-wall, 7, and iscovered by an ordinary roof, S. Over the rearward portion of thefurnace-chamber C is shown the forward end of the steamboiler, B, whichmay be of any well known type.

The floor of the furnace-chamber, in the preferred form thereof hereinshown and de scribed, consists of the upper run 10, of an endlesstraveling grate, designated in a general way by G, which endless grateis carried at the opposite ends of its circuit, or at the front and rearends of the furnace-chamber, upon suitable grate-carrying wheels orchainwheels, 12 and 14, respectively, that are cargo ried by shafts 13and 15, respectively, journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) on theframe-work of the furnace-structure.

As a means for imparting a traveling movement to the endless grate, tofeed the fuel car- 5 ried upon the upper run thereof forward in thefurnace-chamber with a uniform movement, the chain-wheel shaft 13 isshown provided at one end thereof with a worm-wheel,

40, that meshes with a worm, 41, on a driving- :00 shaft, 42, journaledin bearings, 43 and 43', on the frame-work of the furnace. Said shaft 42is shown provided with a pulley, 4:4, which may be driven from anysuitable source of power (not shown).

As a means for supplying fuel to the ignition area or forward end of thefurnace-floor, the furnace-chamber O is shown provided, at the forwardend thereof, with a fuel-supply hopper, H, the delivering end of whichcommunicates with said chamber, and is adapted for supplying fuel to thefurnace-floor through the chute or opening, 5, extending through thefront end-wall, 3, of said furnaceschamber, after the manner describedin the patents herein'before referred to.

In the preferred form thereof herein shown and described, the endlesschain grate consists of a series of grate-sections, pivotally connectedtogether and comprising, each, a series of duplicate grate-bars, g,which gratebars are longitudinally disposed relatively to thefurnace-chamber. The grate-bars of adjacent grate-sections are sodisposed, relatively to each other, that the gratebars of one sectionwill liezintermediate to and overlap, in a horizontal plane, thegrate-bars of the next adjacent section. These grate-bars have eachtransverse openings through opposite ends thereof as shown at 8, whichform bearings for the carrier rods, hereinafter described, and said barshave spacing-flanges, 9, which are preferably in the nature of bossesconcentric to said openings, said bosses or flanges keeping the adjacentside edges of adjacent grate-bars separated the requisite distance toform air-spaces of the required area between adjacent grate-bars.

As a simple and effective means for pivotally connecting the grate-barsof adjacent sections of alternating disposition as shown in Figs. 2, 3and 4, I have provided carriers for said grate-bars which, in the formthereof herein shown, are in the nature of crosssectionally cylindricalrods, 16, extending through the openings, 8, of the overlapping ends ofthe adjacent grate-bars, as will be understood by reference to saidfigures, said grate-bar carrying rods being projected at opposite endssomewhat beyond the outer faces of the outside grate-bars of thegratesections, and being provided at these ends with rollers, 17 and17', which ride upon tracks, 18 and 18', respectively, upon the innerfaces of the side walls of the furnacestructure, as is most clearlyshown in Fig. 4. The grate-bars, will preferably be wedgeshaped in crosssection, their inner faces be ing of less width than their outer orfuelsupporting faces. By this construction and organization offurnace-floor, it will be seen that the grate bars, during the travelingmovement thereof, maintain a parallel relation intermediate to the endsof the circuit, thereby forming a furnace-floor having a levelfuel-supporting surface, and that said grate-bars in passing around therearward end of the circuit, assume various angles relatively to eachother, thereby loosening up the material that might otherwise adhere tothe surface of said bars, and also clearing the spaces between saidbars, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1 of thedrawings, the dotted line, f, in said figure illustrating fuel, andshowing its various positions during the traveling movement thereof.

As a means for supplying air to the fuelcarrying run of the grate atvarying pressures at successive points in the length thereof, and alsoas a means for reducing the normally high temperature of thefuel-carrying run of the said grate, I have provided in con nection withthe fuel-carrying run of said grate, an air-blast apparatus which, inthe preferred form thereof herein shown, consists of a series ofair-supply chambers, designated by a, b, c and d, respectively, locatedunderneath the fuel-carrying run of said grate, and each having a topand bottom wall, 6 and 6', respectively, the top wall of which iscontiguous to and practically constitutes a support for the grate-barsof the upper run of said grate, and has a series of outlet-openings, 20,therethrough, and the bottom wall of which has one or morevalve-regulated inlet openings, 2i, therethrough. These airsupplychambers, which are of relatively large areas, extend from side to sideof the grate, and are separated from one another by transversewater-chambers, a, b and 0, respectively, whose upper and lower ends arecontiguous to and closed by the upper and lower plates, 6 and 6,respectively, which constitute the upper and lower walls of theair-supplychamhers. These water-compartments will be supplied with waterfrom any suitable source of supply, as, for instance, from the boiler,by means of the supply-pipes, 19.

As a means for supplying air to the successive air-supply chambers, Ihave provided a main air-compartment or chamber, h, which is preferablylocated underneath the lower run 1], of the grate, and extendsapproximately from end to end of said lower run, or covers the spacecoinciding with the space occupied by the entire series of air-supplychambers rt, 1), c and (Z, located above this main air-supply chamber,as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings.This main air-supply chamber, h, is, in turn, supplied with air by aconduit, 25, in communication therewith, which conduit leads to anysuitable source of air-supply, such as a blower (not shown).

One of the important features of my presentinvention is the improvedmeans employed in connection with the apparatus just described forregulating the influx of air to the successive air-supply chambers a, b,c and d, respectively, to secure varying pressures in the successivechambers, and also the means employed for regulating the efflux of airfrom said chambers, to secure relatively varying IIO air-blastscontiguous to the fuel, at success- 1 successive points in the lengththereof, will ive points in the length of the fuel-carrying run of thegrate.

To secure the requisite relative variation of air-pressure in thesuccessive airsupply chambers, I have provided, as hereinbeforedescribed, the valve regulated inlet openings, 21, in the bottom wallsof said chambers, said inlet openings being usually provided withordinary gates or slide-valves, 21, adapted to be operated in the usualmanner for increas-W ing or decreasing the effective areas of said inletopenings, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of thedrawings, and to secure the requisite relative variation in the effluxof air from the successive airsupply chambers, a, b, c and d, to therebyvary the effective supply of air to the fuel, at successive pointsin thelength of the furnacechamber, the successive series of outlet openingsthrough the upper walls of the successive air-supply chambers are ofrelatively varying aggregate areas; that is to say, the effective outletareas of the successive air-supply chambers vary relatively to eachother.

Another important feature of my present invention is the means employedin connection with the fuel-carrying run of the grate for preventing thefuel from being carried sidewise over the extreme side edges of saidupper run. This means, in the form thereof herein shown and described,consists preferably of the two hollow beams, 26, which are somewhatsimilar to the hollow side-bars or air-checks described in LettersPatent of the United States No. 510,566, granted to E0]:- ley B. CoxeDecember 12,1893. These beams are supported, one at each side of theupper run of the grate, by the frame-work of the furnace, as shown mostclearly in Figs. 3 and 4, with their inner adjacent ends in closeproximity to, and overlying the upper side edges of, the upper run ofthe grate; said beamsextendinglongitndinallyof the furnace andconstituting not only clearing-beams for the furnace-floor, but, alsoconstituting waterwalls adjacent to the fuel-supporting surface of thesaid furnace-floor; a circulation of water being maintained in the saidbeams by means (not shown) in any suitable manner. As shown in thedrawings, these beams, 26, have a series of grooves 27, formed in theunder faces thereof which extend from the extreme inner edges thereofand are in the direction of the width of the beams, but in horizontalplanes, they being inclined inwardlyin the direction of the travelingmovement of the grate, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 of thedrawings.

By forming the grooves, 27, in the under sides of the overhanging sidebeams, 26, and inclining them horizontally in the direction of thetraveling movement of the grate, as described, it will be seen that anyfuel working sidewise upon the fuel-supporting run of, and toward theoutside edges of, the grate, at

naturally fill these grooves, 27, and, owing to the traveling movementof the grate, the fuel contained in these grooves will be forced inwardtoward the middle portion of the grate by the succeeding particles offuel coming in contact therewith; thereby limiting the transversemovement of the traveling fuel, and preventing the same from runningover the side edges of the fuel-carrying run of the grate.

In practice, after the clearing-grooves, 27, i n the side beams, 26, arefilled with material, during the traveling movement of the grate, itwill be seen that the material contained in said grooves willpractically constitute a series of horizontally inclined projecting ribsor brushes adapted for sweeping the fuel-supporting face of the upperrun of the grate at the sides thereof, and which will deflect theoutward movement of the material, at the side edges of said grate, andcause the same to move inward toward the middle portion thereof.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a furnace of theclass specified, the combination with the furnace-cham her and itsinclosing walls, of grate-supporting tracksin fixed relation with theside-walls of the furnace-chamber, an endless grate comprising a seriesof overlapping cross-sectionally wedgeshaped grate-barspivotally-connected together by transverse grate-bar"carrying rodsextending through said bars and from side to side of the furnace-chamberand having rollers at opposite ends thereof supported upon said tracks,and grate-driving mechanism carried by the side-walls of thefurnace-chamber, substantially as described and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with thefurnace-chamber, and the fuel-traveling furnace-floor, of side beamsoverlapping the opposite upper side edges of the furnace-floor, and eachhaving aseries of clearing-grooves in the under faces thereof,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with thefurnace-chamber and the fuel-traveling furnace-floor, of side beamsoverlapping the opposite under side edges of the furnace-floor, and eachhaving a series of horizontally-inclined clearingrooves in the lowerfaces thereof, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with thefurnace-chamber and its inclosing-walls, of a grate supported fortraveling movement longitudinally of the furnacecharnber, and side-beamssupported above and at each side of the grate, and each having a seriesof clearing-grooves in the under faces thereof, adjacent to the upperface of the grate, and horizontally inclined inward in the IIO directionof the traveling movement of said grate, substantially as described andfor the purpose set forth.

5. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with thefurnace-chamber and its inclosing-Walls, of a furnace-floor supportedfor movement longitudinally of the furnacechamber, and two hollowside-beams located one at each side of and overlapping the upper surfaceof the furnace-floor, and each having a series of horizontally inclinedclearinggrooves formed in the under faces, at the inner edges thereof,the grooves of one beam being oppositely inclined relatively to those ofthe other beam, substantially as described and for the purpose setforth.

6. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with thefurnace-chamber and its inclosing Walls, of a fuel-travelingfurnacefloor, supported for movement within and longitudinally of saidfurnace-chamber, a series of air-supply chambers located underneath thefurnace-floor, and having outlet openings, of relatively varying areas,contiguous to the furnace-floor, a series of watercompartmentsintermediate to said air-supply chambers, and means for supplying air tosaid air-supply chambers, substantially as described and for the purposeset forth.

7. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with thefurnace-chamber and the travelingrate supported therein, of a transverseplate located underneath and in close proximity to the under face of thegrate, and having successive series of outlet openings therethrough, ofrelatively varying aggregate areas, air-supply chambers supported belowsaid transverse plate, and having Water-Walls contiguous to said plate,and means for supplying air to the traveling grate through the outletopenings in the transverse plate, substantially as described.

8. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with the furnace-chamber and its inclosing-Walls, of a fuel-traveling furnacefioorsupported for movement Within, and longitudinally of, saidfurnace-chamber, a series of successive air-supply chambers locatedunderneath the furnace-floor and having outlets contiguous to saidfurnace-floor, of relatively varying areas, substantially as described,a series of water-compartments intermediate to and separating saidair-supply chambers, means for supplying air to the successive chambers,means in connection with said air-supply chambers and adapted forregulating the supply of air to said chambers, substantially asdescribed and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with thefurnace-chamber and with the fuel-traveling grate supported therein, ofa series of alternating air-compartments and Water-compartments,supported below and contiguous to, said furnace-floor, theaircompartments of which have outlets contiguous to the furnace-floor atrelatively varying areas adapted for regulating the efflux of air fromsaid chambers, respectively, and have valve-regulated inlets adapted forregulating the influx of air to said chambers, and means in position andadapted for supplying air to said chambers through said valve-regulatedopenings, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with thefurnace-floor and with the fuel-traveling grate supported therein, of aseries of successive air-supply chambers of relatively varyingcapacities located below said furnace-fioor and each having a series ofoutlet openings contiguous to said furnacefloor, the aggregate area ofthe series of outlet openings in one chamber varying relatively to theaggregate area of the series of outlet openings in the other chamber orchambers, Water compartments located intermediate to said air-supplychambers, means for supplying air to said chambers and means forsupplying Water to said Water-compartments, substantially as describedand for the purpose set forth.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

FRED. J DOLE, S. W. Porrs.

